While the national economy remains sluggish, the region is getting a boost.

Walmart is adding 80 jobs to its expanded Avon store, while the retailer is still hiring employees for its second store in Raynham opening in early March, officials said.

The moves are Walmart's attempts to increase its market share in the region, as it faces competition from other popular grocery chains like Market Basket, said Jon Bryan, business professor at Bridgewater State University.

"I think that Walmart expanding in the area provides the consumer with more choices," Bryan said Wednesday. "However, Walmart will find and is finding that there is some very excellent competition in the area."

Walmart is expanding its Avon store by about 30,000 square feet to include new produce and deli departments, a bakery, and expanded frozen food, dairy and fresh meat sections, store manager Scott Wokoske said.

The store at 30 Memorial Drive in Avon is hiring 80 full- and part-time employees, which will boost the total number to nearly 300, Wokoske said. Applicants can apply at the store or online at http://careers.walmart.com.

"We're basically taking applications every single day of the week," said Wokoske, who has already hired about 25 people to prepare for the store's grand re-opening on April 9.

The store will be expanded to 150,000 square feet, he said. The store has remained open since construction on the building began last May.

In Raynham, officials are preparing to open the town's second Walmart on Route 138 in early March, said Ashley Viveiros, store manager.

"We're excited," Viveiros said.

The new, 152,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter at 160 Broadway will employ 300 people, Viveiros said. More than half of the store's employees have been hired, she said.

The new store will offer a grocery department, garden center, and tire and lube services in addition to its main merchandise.

The town's first Walmart Supercenter – a 205,000-square-foot store at 36 Paramount Drive on Route 44 – does more business than any other store in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, officials have said.

The new jobs in Avon and Raynham are a positive sign for the local economy, said Bryan, adding that he'd like to see more technology and manufacturing jobs come to the region.

"Any new job is very welcome to the area, but of course what we also need in this area is a significant increase in the number of high-tech and manufacturing jobs as well," Bryan said.

Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapa@enterprisenews.com or follow on Twitter @MariaP_ENT.